11.06.2022 Beautiful Sunset Boston Skyline

 We have been having such wonderfully warm and balmy weather that I decided I needed to see the sea! So I went to Cottage Park Yacht Club in Winthrop just in time to see a spectacular sunset.  You cannot just order one of these to appear.

The colors of the sky were magical with the sun setting behind the Boston skyline.

The colors were intense.

If you look closely, you will see a plane taking off from Logan Airport and ascending into the clouds.

I'll bet the view from the airplane was spectacular as the plane followed along the coast.

Up, up and away!

And then it is gone! Make me miss my Mimi Rhodes 19. I used to love to sit on her deck and watch the sunset while waiting for the launch. The launch driver always promised not to forget me!

And just like that it started to rain! A light sprinkle - just enough to feel the precipitation.  I do enjoy a balmy evening!

We have been sitting outside on the kitchen porch during these warm evenings.  A cold front is on the way so we have to enjoy all of this nice weather as much as we can. Instead of going to the Patriots game I stayed home and we did much needed chores. The boys were really good and stayed up with me for four straight hours of yard work. 

On the good news side of things, our bunny is still alive!  Apparently, he stays under the back deck and darted out really fast when we were all on the deck. The boys chased after him but he cleverly slipped though the fence. Run bunny run!  I hope he finds a nice winter home. Now I feel certain that the dogs were chasing after him earlier in the week as they were running in a fever pitch through some rose bush brambles. I hope they do not catch him. One burial is enough.

This warm weather has some Spring flowering plants confused and blooming now.

Cherry blossoms.

One mixed up goose in this next picture. Here is a domestic goose traveling with the Canada goose. Wonder if he is a local goose or did he migrate with the Canada geese? Or are the Canada geese our resident geese? So many questions about geese!  Maybe we all have a little Spring fever in the Fall!

But the domestic goose seemed quite content to be in the company of so many Canada geese. Too bad I did not have more time to observe them.

A seasonal monkshood. The plants that survived the summer draught will stay in bloom until the first heavy frost. Coming soon, no doubt! The stalks are much shorter but at least a few bloomed.

And an unseasonal Johnny-jump-up.

My black-eyed Susan's are still in bloom.

And so are the Stella d' Ora daylilies!

It is not nice to fool Mother Nature! Remember the commercial??  

We are going to go back outside for a little while and enjoy this balmy evening. Time for dinner and we will dine by a porch light!  

Fionnegan and Gunnarr turned 9 this week. Hard to believe they are getting this old as they still run around like puppies!  We had a lot of celebrations for the day!  Please see Shorty's blog for details! (mydogShorty.blogspot.com).

Please stay well and enjoy the day.  

Until next time..........................

06/27/18 New main sail..........................

……………… and her first Wednesday night race!

Yes, my Rhodes 19 Mimì hoisted her new main sail and we were off for the races with the other Rhodes 19 and the big girls at the Cottage Park Yacht Club. It was a bit of a gloomy evening race with some high winds and wave action in Boston Harbor, but she managed to do well enough to not be the last boat in her class. The three of us who raced her were all new to each other and we had to learn to coordinate our efforts quickly. It was fun and am hoping to race her again soon.

Nice crisp new main, a decent jib, and we were off!  Hoping for blue skies and a beautiful sunset for next time, but happy to get what I can. Being on the water is such a special experience.

We have been very fortunate with some very beautiful picture perfect summer days. This week I took a solo walk - sorry Fionnegan, Gunnarr and Shorty - along the Charles River in Cambridge. There was a lot of activity on the river - kayakers and Canada geese and mallard ducks.

The gorgeous red brick bridge over the Charles River with the boat house just behind it on the left..



And let's not forget a few beautiful water lilies, too! Could not find as little frog but there must be one here somewhere!

Hope you are having a good day.

07/09/17 Sailing...............

Do you know the song?

Sailing......
And if the wind is right you can sail away
And find tranquility
Oh, the canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see

Sailing
takes me away
to where I've always heard it could be
just a dream and wind to carry me
soon I will be free.

One of the really special experiences that I enjoy in New England is the opportunity to sail. I have a little day sailer, Mimì, named after the Bohemian seamstress in the Italian opera La Bohème. She is a gem. I love to be out in the harbor and hear the sound of the waves hit against her bow and have the occasional splash over the rails as she leans away from the wind. And as we sail past the airport down "hurricane alley" I love the "puffs" of wind from the backdrafts of the airplanes as they land. It takes a steady hand on the tiller to hold the course and what fun! She is moored at Cottage Park Yacht Club, a wonderful gem in itself. We can sail the Boston Harbor, view the Boston skyline and watch the airplanes take off and land. What could be better.
So Sunday we had a wonderful time - some strong winds and some light winds. And getting back to the mooring against wind and tide is always a little challenge. Spent some time doing chores - cleaning - and now she sparkles.

Here is a picture of her - she is the smaller boat with the blue cover.

So when I am not walking or grooming the dogs (or working!) I try to either kayak or sail, depending on weather, wind, tide and time!

Shorty has settled in well with Fionnegan and Gunnarr, but there is no way I can take all three sailing.  At least Fionn and Gunanrr are small enough to pick up, Shorty would be a true challenge.

Here is Shorty sitting by me in the gardens.

And while he will never step in the doggy pool, he now takes a drink from it.

The gardens are beautiful this year with the lilies in bloom. Here are a couple of photographs of them.

Really happy doggies!

Our new deck is not quite done and already being well used. The boys like to chase each other under the porch, Fionn is a master of ambushing his brothers. They have such great fun together.

And a good dog is a tired dog! We had another long walk in the morning, but even in the early hours it is hot for Fionn and Gunnarr. We never walk further than I can carry them back. There were all left off leash for a while and they had a great run. Shorty really took off on the track but he did come back when I whistled - a couple of times. I think when he realized I wasn't behind him anymore he decided he should run back to me. And I carried Fionn back to the car in my arms, Gunnarr soldiered onwards and Shorty just slowed down a little. Most of the walk was in the woods so we did have a breeze and shade.

Here they are tonight. Sound asleep.

If you look behind Shorty's bed, you will see a lot of stuffed animals and toys. He took those from Fionn and Gunnarr's beds, one at a time, including my socks, and added them to his "nest". One day he even took one of my nice shoes and added it to his collection. Much to his surprise, I took it back! Having these things must make him feel secure. He does not chew on them and my shoe was in perfect condition. He just collects them and adds them to the bed.

Fionnegan

Gunnarr

Shorty wagging his tail when he saw the camera.

4th of July 2017 Fireworks

It was a great day. The weather was perfect and I took the boys out for a walk and we had a barbeque in the afternoon. Then it was off for the fireworks.

Decided to go to Cottage Park Yacht Club in Winthrop. My girl Mimì is on a mooring. She is my beautiful Rhodes 19. Had a great sail on her last week and plan for more this summer. But I digress. Fireworks. From CPYC I could see fireworks from six different locations, including from the Charles River in Boston.  Had a nice evening with friends Lesley and Charley on their boat. 

Here are a few pictures taken from the dock - a little rock and roll motion! Enjoy the explosion of colors in the night sky and imagine the BOOM!

Boston skyline at sunset.




Mimì is the little sailboat in the middle of the picture. Boston skyline in the background.



A nice evening of fireworks in Winthrop.

Reflections of light on the water.

Boston skyline at night.

Fireworks from Boston on the Charles River.